I just read this and now I am crying and want to throw up. My Emily is almost 11 and looks like this Emily, sweet kid. I would never leave my Emily home alone, I would quit my job first, but I also have the luxury of knowing my employers would understand and not fire me for it. I wish I could stay home with Emily instead of work. I wish I could be there when she comes home from school. But I can’t or Emily would not have a home. Try to have some compassion for us working women. I would be willing to bet that most of us work because we have to, not because of some lofty career goals that feminists said we should have.
Unless one is a single parent, no one “has to” work. If one income is the living while the second income pays off the debt, then eliminate the debt. Buy a smaller house. Sell the second car, the boat, the timeshare. Cancel satellite TV. Eat at home. Wear thrift store clothing. Do what you have to do, but either Mommy or Daddy should stay home with the children.